


Worth

by naasad



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, Red Robin (Comics)
Genre: Asim al Ghul, Other, Ra's got talking with Lex and made a clone of him and Tim without Tim's permission, Rating May Change, adorkable assassin murder clone, but nobody actually does the do, kind of noncon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-01
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-12 05:50:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13541061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/naasad/pseuds/naasad
Summary: When Tim imagined an assassin waiting in his apartment, it wasn't like this.





	1. Prologue

Tim sighed and closed the window behind him, then paused, suddenly on alert. He whirled around, throwing one of his disks, only for the intruder to bat it aside with barely a flinch.

"I did not come here to fight," he said, and Tim pegged him for a teenager by his pitch, Middle-Eastern by his accent, League of Shadows by his uniform.

"Forgive me for not trusting an assassin," Tim spat, lunging.

The intruder side-stepped. "I will not fight you."

They continued dodging, until Tim had him backed up against the fridge, bo on his esophagus. "If you're not here to fight, why are you here?"

The assassin sighed, and telegraphed his movements as he yanked his hood off his head.

Tim raised an eyebrow.

The assassin rolled his eyes. "I suppose it would be too much to hope that you've seen a mirror lately."

Tim frowned, taking in the intruder's features. "You're not just of me."

"No," he agreed. "Father does not know I am here. I would like to keep it that way."

Tim cursed and stepped back. "How old are you?"

The assassin rubbed his throat. "Chronologically or biologically?"

"Both," Tim snapped.

"Three and sixteen, respectively. Father named me Asim, I prefer Alexander in English-speaking countries."

"Asim? Protector?"

"Protector of the Earth from mankind."

"And why _are_ you here?"

Alexander stared, level. "What child does not wish to know its father?"

Tim pointed to the door. "Out. I'm not your father. I assume you have some place to stay."

Alexander nodded. "I shall leave you to your rest. However," he said, pausing with his hand on the knob, "I will return."

"Shit," Tim spat, once he was gone. He quickly wriggled out of his uniform and fell to his bed, daring to hope this was either some dream or hallucination brought on by lack of sleep.


	2. Chapter 1

Tim woke to the smell of coffee. A quick glance around the room revealed it was nearly noon and he was supposed to be alone in his apartment. He groaned and rolled over, knowing exactly who was most likely waiting in his kitchen, and wishing it wasn't. He realized his mistake when he heard footsteps nearing his door.

"Good morning," the clone said, placing a cup on the bedside table and backing away.

Tim wracked his brain for his name. "Asim."

"Alexander. Please."

"Alexander." Tim wrinkled his nose at the mug. It was his good stuff.

"It's not poisoned," Alexander said.

Tim gave him a Look. "What do you want?"

"I told you."

"And I told you I'm not your father."

"That doesn't mean I can't still want to get to know you. As a...," Alexander trailed off in thought, "ally?"

Tim raised an eyebrow. "I've already told Ra's multiple times I don't want to work for him, will never want to work for him, end of story."

Alexander scratched at his arms. "I don't work for Father. He thinks I do, but I don't. He-"

Tim's eyes went wide as Alexander's sleeves slid up, revealing a livid burn. "Did he do that?"

Alexander yanked his sleeve down and looked away. "Yes. I deserved it. But my half-sister told me I didn't have to bear it, and I don't want - I don't _like_ being in pain."

"Talia sent you?"

"Yes."

"That fits." Tim leaned back. "She's always wanted the League for herself, you're a threat to that." He chewed on his lip for a while, then looked up to see Alexander doing the same thing. "Stop that. We'll need to confirm your story. Did Ra's already tell you where the BatCave is or will you let me blindfold you?

Alexander nodded. "I have the schematics to Wayne Manor memorized. It was a requirement of my training to know the enemy."

Tim raised an eyebrow and jumped out of bed, reaching for his clothes. "Well, we're wasting time, let's get moving."

"Shouldn't you eat first, Fa-"

Tim whipped around to glare.

Alexander gnawed on his cheek for a moment. "Cousin?" he asked.

Tim frowned but nodded. "That'll work. It's a good cover story." He tossed a sweatshirt over his shoulder. "Put that on, you stand out like a sore thumb."

Alexander pulled the sweater over his head and seemed to marvel, smiling slightly as he flapped the excess sleeve in the air.

Tim caught himself staring, and quickly walked away, running a hand through his greasy hair. "Let's go."

* * *

 

Damian was supposed to be in school. He snuck down to the Cave, bokken in hand, ready for practice, when the sight of Drake at the computer and a stranger behind him brought him up short. "Who is this?"

"Your uncle," Drake deadpanned.

"And nephew," the stranger mumbled. " _Aismi_ 'Asim."

Damian glared. "My name is Robin."

'Asim' tilted his head. "Daiyan?"

"Damian," Damian snapped, glancing at Drake.

The stranger nodded. "Alexander. Najwa  _takalam eank_."

Damian growled. " _Hal tadhhab hawl alkashf ean 'asrar eayilatina? Aism 'umiy hu_ Talia. _'Ana_ Damian. _Tudhkar dhalik_."

The computer chimed, and Drake's fingers flew over the keyboard.

Damian glanced at the results, then did a double-take and strode across the room. "What are you doing?"

Drake didn't even glance at him. "Your grandfather apparently got ahold of enough of my DNA to make a clone of him and me." He gestured over his shoulder to Alexander. "He showed up at my apartment last night and then again this morning." He stood and stretched, then walked toward the containment cells, gesturing for Alexander to follow. "You'll stay in one of these until Batman decides you're not a threat."

Alexander nodded and went willingly.

Once the door was closed, Drake disappeared.

Damian leaned close to the glass, glaring. He switched to the League dialect and spoke slowly, enunciating. **"This is my family."**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Aismi 'Asim."  
> My name is Asim.
> 
> "Najwa takalam eank."  
> Najwa spoke of you.
> 
> "Hal tadhhab hawl alkashf ean 'asrar eayilatina? Aism 'umiy hu Talia. 'Ana Damian. Tudhkar dhalik."  
> Do you go around revealing all our family's secrets? My mother's name is Talia. I am Damian. Remember it.
> 
> (This is me incorporating the headcanon that the al Ghul family have secret names they use only among themselves, and they use English names elsewhere. Daiyan means "judge/guardian/protector", and Najwa means "secret/whisper", I was going for something meaning beautiful but couldn't find one I liked for Talia. To Alexander, Tim is family, where for Damian, due to the racist/islamophobic undertones in Batman's conflict with the League of Shadows, he's ashamed of his Arabic name and afraid to use it in front of his new family. Especially considering that Bruce and Tim, based on past behavior, have a high chance of focusing on the "you lied to me" part much more than the "I really trust you now" part. I've decided this story will include Damian re-embracing his heritage, but I'm unsure how to tag it...)


End file.
